Living a half life
by pcworth
Summary: When Maggie learns Alex is dying she goes to see her for what she believes will be the last time. It didn't matter that they had broken up - this was Alex. But when she learns about the alien that hurt Alex she fears this was just the beginning.
1. Chapter 1

Winn wasn't sure he was doing the right thing as he prepared to knock on Maggie's door. He took a breath and then knocked. He was shuffling his feet when Maggie answered the door.

"Winn? What are you doing here?"

"I …" he had started to speak but then saw the woman in the background. He hadn't really thought about Maggie being with someone or even considered the idea that she had moved on. Maybe it was because he knew that Alex hadn't so he assumed Maggie also had not.

"Winn," Maggie said, bringing his attention back to her. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I shouldn't have come," he said. He turned to leave but she grabbed a hold of his arm to prevent him from going.

"What is going on?"

"Is everything ok?" the woman who had come a little closer to the door asked.

"It's fine," Maggie said, not turning to look at her. "I'll be just a moment."

She stepped outside with Winn and closed the door behind her. "Spill it. Now."

"It's Alex. She's dying."

Maggie didn't say anything just stood there in obvious shock.

"It was an alien. We don't really know how he did it, but her body systems are shutting down," Winn continued. "The only thing keeping her alive right now is the machines and she had a living will. She didn't want to be kept alive like this so tomorrow her mom is going to … Anyway, I thought I should … I thought someone should let you know in case you want to come say goodbye."

Maggie didn't say anything only nodded.

"I'll go," he said.

"Thanks for um, thanks for letting me know," Maggie said, before turning to go back into the apartment.

….

Maggie spent all night debating whether she should do what she was doing now – entering the DEO. In the end, she knew that if she didn't see Alex one last time she would regret it for the rest of her life.

She still had DEO access because of her work with the NCPD, but it had been a while since she had been there. For the most part, she hadn't seen Alex in months. The one time she saw her at a crime scene was awkward for both of them. They had been all business in talking to each other in the limited amount of time they were around each other and it saddened Maggie to think that was how it was going to be from now on with them.

It was Alex's choice to break things off, she told herself, so there was no reason for her not to move on – or at least try to.

Now here she was, coming to the DEO to say goodbye to the woman she once believed was who she would spend the rest of her life with.

Once she entered the command center, J'onn saw her and approached. "I'll take you to her," he said.

They traveled down a hall and to the elevators, not saying anything until they were inside it and heading down.

"You don't seem surprised to see me here," she commented.

"I try not to read others' minds, but in times of high stress it is hard," he explained. "I knew Winn went to see you."

"He didn't really explain what happened to her."

"She was doing her job. Her and a team went out to capture a Fort Rozz prisoner who we believe has been responsible for at least five deaths. Somehow he is able to put his victims in some sort of coma and from there they just sort of waste away. The Kryptonians also seemed to be at a loss as to how he does it. The team was successful in apprehending him and they got him back here where he broke loose from the guards and he went right at Alex, even though she wasn't the closest to him. He touched her skin and she fell unconscious, but it only lasted for maybe a minute if that and she was awake once more. We ran all the tests and everything came back normal and she said she felt fine and couldn't pinpoint anything being amiss. She was released and headed home. The next day she didn't show up and Kara went to go check on her and found her unconscious at her place. She was flown back here and … well we exhausted every means we had at our disposal."

The elevator stopped but Maggie made no move except toward the panel where she hit the button to keep the door closed a moment.

"This alien, it's here?"

"Yes, but he has not been cooperative in answering any questions and I can't read its mind. All it would say was that it was Alex choice to come back."

"Her choice, what does that mean?"

"We don't know," J'onn admitted. "We have been monitoring Alex's brainwaves too, to see if there is some activity going on in her mind that might account for this, but it hasn't been helpful either."

"So, you are just going pull the plug?"

"Like I said, we have exhausted all our options. As it is, she can no longer breathe on her own and her body has already begun the process of shutting down. Alex was clear about what she wanted in terms of her death and we must respect that."

Maggie knew that was true, that Alex wouldn't want to be kept alive by machines, but at the same time, she felt like something else needed to be done other than this. Maggie opened the elevator doors and stepped out with J'onn, who led her to the infirmary. They were standing outside the door of one of the private rooms when J'onn faced her.

"Eliza and Kara are in there," he said. "They have barely left her bedside."

"God, I can't imagine what they are going through."

J'onn opened the door and Maggie walked in, but stopped almost immediately at the sight of Alex in the hospital bed. A tube was coming out of her mouth to help her breathe and if it weren't for that and the heart monitor, Maggie would have thought she was dead already.

"Maggie," Eliza said coming over and embracing her. "Thank you for coming."

Once Eliza released her, Kara was there hugging her.

"I'm so sorry," Maggie whispered to her.

Once they were separated, Maggie's attention again turned to Alex.

"How long has she been like this?"

"It wasn't like this at first. At first, it was like she was sleeping," Eliza said, her eyes going back to her daughter. "But It's been just over a week on the ventilator."

Maggie tried not to think about the fact that Alex had been like this for days, yet she had only found out about it last night and only then because Winn had apparently took it upon himself to tell her. She wondered if he hadn't shown up, when would she have found out that Alex died.

"You take what time you need," Eliza said, motioning to Kara that they should leave the room to give Maggie some privacy.

"When?" Maggie asked. "When are you …"

She couldn't bring herself to finish the question, but she could tell that Eliza understood what she meant.

"Everyone else has said their goodbyes," Eliza said. She and Kara left the room and Maggie stood there a moment looking at the bed until she finally walked over and took a seat in the chair next to it. She looks small, Maggie thought. Alex could cut an imposing figure when she wanted to – usually when she was being all Agent Danvers, but all Maggie could think now, seeing her in the bed like this, was that she seemed smaller somehow.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say," Maggie said. "I mean, how is it possible that you're lying here and you're dying. You can't be dying."

She fell silent for a long while, just sitting there watching the ventilator do the breathing for her.

"We were should have been married by now," she finally said. "We were going to be married."

She started to cry but quickly wiped away the tears. She had cried the night Alex had broken up with her, cried the night after that and the night after that. She never thought she would be crying because she'd be watching Alex die.

That was when she knew, she couldn't watch it happen. Not that she had really thought about it, but she realized that Eliza was going to have the machine turned off, probably shortly after Maggie was done. And she didn't even know if they expected her or would even want her to be there when it happened, but Maggie knew she couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry," she said to Alex, as she got up.

She got to the door, her hand on it before looking back at Alex one last time and then she walked out. Eliza and Kara stood up from the seats they were sitting on in the hall when she came out.

"Thank you," Maggie said. "For letting me…"

Eliza gave her another hug. "She never stopped loving you."

Maggie nodded to her and then to Kara before walking away. She took the elevator back up to the command center and approached J'onn once more. "The alien that did this to her, take me to it."

"Detective …"

"I'm not going to do anything. Read my mind if you don't believe me, but I need to see who did this to her."

"Ok," he said.

J'onn once again led the way, but this time to the detention cell area. They were nearing the end of the corridor when he stopped next to a door.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

He opened the door for her and she entered seeing the alien in the middle of the room behind one of the containment cells. It was male – or at least she thought maybe it was – honestly, she wasn't sure because what she was looking at resembled a mannequin. It had the shape of a human – two arms, two legs, two eyes, ears and a mouth and nose, but like a mannequin it didn't really have any features.

It stood when it saw her.

"Detective Sawyer," it said, and it smiled at her – an expression that seemed impossible for it.

Maggie looked back at J'onn who barely shook his head no. He understood – or read her mind to know what she was asking. She again focused on the alien.

"How do you know who I am?"

"Because of Alexandra," it said as if it was the most natural answer in the world.

Maggie got closer to the containment cell, studying it as it appeared to be studying her – almost mirroring her exactly.

"If you find this form displeasing, perhaps this one will be more to your liking," it said, and then its body began to shimmer and suddenly Maggie was looking at Alex, causing her to back up and then turning to see J'onn move forward.

"Did you know it could do that?" Maggie asked him.

"No," J'onn said. "There was nothing in the Kryptonian records to indicate it has the power to shapeshift, but it does explain how it was able to stave off capture for so long."

The DEO had trouble tracking it after they suspected it was responsible for the second of the five killings they had investigated. It had found trace DNA at each of the crime scenes that matched the Kryptonian database from the prison.

"What did you do to her?" Maggie asked. She felt odd speaking to it while it had Alex's form, but she wanted answers.

It moved a little to her left, still keeping its eyes – well Alex's eyes – on her. "Do you not find this form to your liking?" it asked. When it spoke, it spoke with Alex's voice as well. "Do you no longer find her attractive now that you no longer wear that ring on your finger?"

"What did you do to her?" Maggie repeated. She wasn't going to let this thing bait her. But the fact it knew who she was, knew that she had been engaged to Alex posed even more questions in her mind.

"I killed her," it said. "Almost killed her I should say. It's simply remarkable that she has managed to hang on to life. She is truly one of a kind. You shouldn't have let her go Maggie – not that she gave you much of a choice in that. "

"You said you almost killed her, does that mean there is a chance she won't die?" she asked, moving closer to the cell. If there was some way to save Alex she needed to find it fast.

"As I told your martian friend there, it is her choice not mine."

"What does that mean?"

"I thought that would be fairly obvious," it said.

Maggie came closer to the cell. "Is there a chance she won't die?" She needed to the know the answer. She needed to stop what was about to happen to Alex if there was even the smallest of chances.

It cocked its head to the side, and Maggie gathered that it was thinking of what to say. She wanted to hit the cell, or even go inside of it and grab a hold of this thing and make it tell her the answer. If she didn't know any better she would have thought it was purposely taking its time so that the deed upstairs would be done.

"I have been to many worlds," it said finally. "I have taken many forms – although it would be wrong to say that I choose the form because of what it looks like. No, the form doesn't really matter except for the need to blend in with the population. It's just skin. Something else makes my victims attractive to me. When I saw Alexandra, I knew I had to have her and she hasn't disappointed me. In all my years, I can think of only one other who has been as … tasty to me as she has been. But to answer your question, no one that I have ever experienced has recovered and while Alexandra is exceptional I do not believe she will be any different."

Taking a step back, Maggie felt whatever resolve she had flow from her body.

Alex was going to die.

Maggie looked at J'onn. "I'm done here." She didn't wait for a response from him, merely walked to the door. It slid open and that is when the alien spoke once more.

"Detective, as I said, she was exceptional, but in the end it didn't matter," it said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Maggie was stuck on the word "was." The use of the past tense. Again, her eyes went to J'onn, who had his head bowed down and his eyes closed before opening them to look at her. That look was all it took to tell her and she turned once more to the alien, but as Maggie stared it down – this alien who had taken Alex's form along with her life – she knew there was no remorse in it. She turned and left the room, stopping almost immediately outside the door to lean up against the wall next to it. J'onn came out a moment later but didn't say anything, just let her stay there as she collected the will to move.

"It targeted her," Maggie said finally. "It murdered her. And now it, it has her face, her voice. It can't … it can't stay like that. If nothing else, you have to make it stop."

"If we can find a way to do so, we will," J'onn promised.

Maggie wanted to cry, but the tears weren't coming. Nothing was coming except an emptiness like she had never experienced before. She bent down, her hands on her knees as she felt her breath coming out too rapidly. She stayed there, not trusting herself to move or do anything. She briefly thought about going back into that room and maybe J'onn wouldn't care if she entered that cell. Maybe he wouldn't care if she made that thing give up Alex's form.

But she knew she couldn't. Not because J'onn would most assuredly stop her, but because she couldn't go in there and see Alex – see her alive or at least the alien's copy of her alive when she knew that upstairs Alex was dead.

Somewhere she heard a door slam shut, but she didn't pay it any mind.

"Alex?"

The tone of J'onn's voice had to her looking up and following his gaze which was fixed on the corridor to their left where Alex was striding down toward them. Maggie thought she must be hallucinating. Even if Alex were alive, she wouldn't be up and moving after being on a ventilator like that. She wouldn't be moving with such a purpose. J'onn approached as she reached them, but she ignored them as if they weren't there, instead entering the room even as Kara appeared at the end of the hall yelling Alex's name. J'onn followed Alex but it took Maggie a couple of seconds – time enough for Kara to reach her – before they also entered the room.

There was Alex standing in front of the cell staring at the alien who still held her form. Wearing a pair of lightweight pants and a tank top, with no shoes, she stood there facing the mirror image of herself.

The alien began to clap. "Simply remarkable Alexandra," it said. "I didn't think you capable of it, but you have proved me wrong."

It looked as if it was about to say something else but Alex quickly imputed a code on the panel next to the cell and entered it, hitting it with a vicious right which she followed up with more punches until J'onn entered and grabbed her from behind pulling her out while Kara closed the cell. Alex was struggling against J'onn as if wanting to free herself so she could continue the onslaught.

The alien, whom she had knocked to the floor, got up, laughing – still in Alex's form with her voice – and approached the cell's barrier, its eyes never leaving Alex, who had stopped struggling but was still being held by J'onn.

"I can't wait to experience you again Alexandra," it said. "It will be even sweeter the second time around. Unless of course the detective here would like to volunteer to be my next meal."

For the first time Alex looked at someone other than the alien. From her expression, Maggie figured that Alex had no idea she had been there. Maybe she had no idea of anything, Maggie thought, seeing an almost confused expression on Alex's face. Their eye contact didn't last long as Alex slipped from J'onn's grasp, again going for the cell, but this time Kara was there to stop her. It didn't stop Alex from trying to fight her sister to reach her intended goal. Maggie was so shocked that she hadn't even noticed that Eliza had entered the room. As Kara grabbed Alex to hold her still, Eliza came up behind her daughter and injected something into her arm.

It must have been a sedative – a strong one – because Alex stopped fighting and began to waver a bit on her feet. By the time she was unconscious, Kara had picked her up into her arms.

"Take her back to the medbay, the doctor is waiting," Eliza instructed.

Once Kara left, J'onn asked Eliza what happened.

"Not here," she said, refusing to even glance in the direction of the alien. J'onn walked her out, with Maggie right behind them. Maggie took one last look at the alien who was standing there smiling at her.

After they made it back to the corridor, J'onn again asked for an explanation.

"I don't know," Eliza said. "I gave them the go ahead and they began to shut down the machines. I watched as she died and she was dead. Kara was crying and I didn't know what to say or do and then Alex, she just opened her eyes and sat up. She began choking because of the tube so we held her down while the doctor removed it. She was coughing and I think I was laughing, I just felt such joy that my daughter was there alive but even as she stopped coughing, she didn't say anything and didn't actually seem to be aware of her surroundings or any of us. Then she bolted from the bed. We were all so shocked that we stood there doing nothing and then I told Kara to follow her. She must have come straight here."

"Is she going to be ok?" Maggie asked. "I mean that wasn't normal."

Eliza shook her head, not knowing the answer to that. "I need to get back up there and check on her."

J'onn and Maggie escorted Eliza back up, none of them speaking, all of them alone with their own thoughts about what happened. While Maggie was still trying to sort out exactly what happened – and how quickly it had happened – she couldn't help but get stuck on what the alien had said to Alex about experiencing her again.

Whatever this was, she feared it wasn't over.


	2. Chapter 2

Maggie stayed back against the wall of the medbay – out of everyone's way – as she watched Eliza and two of the DEO doctors presumably checking all of Alex's vitals. None of them had said much that she understood outside of confirming that she was fully sedated. They had hooked up an IV to her but Maggie didn't know if that was for keeping her sedated or some other purpose.

The only time Maggie looked away from Alex's sleeping form was to glance at the heart monitor which was again connected to her. It showed a steady beat and Maggie felt comforted by that if nothing else. She was so focused she hadn't even noticed that Kara had come up to stand next to her until she spoke.

"I'm sorry," Kara said. "I'm sorry that we didn't come and tell you sooner."

"It's ok," Maggie said. "I understand why I wouldn't be … besides I'm sure you had more important things on your mind."

"Still," Kara said. "We should have sent someone. You deserved to know."

Maggie didn't respond. Did she deserve to know? What was she to Alex besides her ex fiancée? Eliza had said that Alex hadn't stopped loving her, but did that really mean anything now?

"That alien down there, J'onn said that the Kryptonians didn't really know much about it. How is that your people caught it then?"

"We didn't," Kara replied. "He was brought to us from another race who had asked us to imprison him. He was listed as one of the high priority prisoners at Fort Rozz because of how dangerous he was. He was imprisoned in a solitary cell where he was not allowed to have any access to any living being. There wasn't much in his file beyond this ability to put his victims in a coma before they died."

"Maybe Alex will be able to tell you more once she wakes up," Maggie said, moving off the wall.

"Where are you going? Don't you want to be here when she wakes?"

"To work," Maggie lied. She had taken the day off once she had decided to come here that day, but she no longer wanted to be there.

"I will text you and let you know how she's doing once she wakes up," Kara said.

"Will you check with J'onn to see if I can get access to the files of the other victims?"

"I'm sure he'll be ok with you reviewing them, but what do you think you will find?"

"I don't know," Maggie said honestly. "I keep going back to what that alien said about there being something about Alex that made it want to target her. Maybe there is some pattern there."

…

Alex gasped as she woke as if she didn't have enough air to breathe. Unlike before she didn't sit up or really move much, but she was blinking her eyes a bit before they focused.

"Alex," Eliza said coming to her daughter's bed side.

"Mom?" Alex said, before yawning. She moved like she was about to sit up and then thought better of it.

"You're going to be ok," Eliza said, taking her hand. "Just take things slow."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Alex yawned again, and Eliza thought maybe she was about to fall back to sleep, but she blinked several times. "Can I get some water?"

Eliza moved to pour her a drink, but Alex's hand was shaking so she had to help her daughter with it.

"My throat hurts," Alex said.

Eliza knew that was from the ventilator tube and was about to explain it when Alex did fall back asleep. She knew her daughter was probably in no condition to be awake for long – after all she had technically died, but she couldn't help but wonder how Alex had managed to leave the bed and find that alien, only to attack it.

This time she was the one who was yawning as she took a seat next to the bed. She had barely left her daughter's bedside since she had come in from MidVale. As her condition had worsened, Eliza had felt more and more helpless and when it came to making the decision, she knew she was doing what Alex wanted, but she wasn't sure she could do it. Yes, Kara too was her daughter, but this was different, this was her Alexandra, the one she had held in her arms moments after she was born. Jeremiah was there beside her, beaming down at this newborn baby who they knew they would do anything for.

She had barely registered that the alien had taken Alex's form when she had entered the room to sedate her. J'onn told her later what had happened when Maggie had gone to confront it.

Maggie. She wished that things had worked out between Maggie and Alex as she had never seen her daughter so happy as she was with Maggie. But Alex wanted children and Maggie didn't and in the end that wasn't something Alex could get past. Yet, ever since breaking things off with Maggie, Alex had done nothing to try to move on with anyone else. To Eliza's knowledge she hadn't dated anyone.

There was a sadness in Alex now and it pained Eliza that she couldn't do anything to ease that for her daughter.

There was a knock on the door frame, and Eliza looked to see J'onn standing there.

"Why don't you head home for a while? I can keep vigil," J'onn said. She had been staying at Alex's place since she had gotten into town.

"She woke a little while ago," Eliza said. "She was too tired to be awake for long. But she asked me what happened."

"She doesn't know?" he asked coming further into the room.

Eliza shrugged. "It could be she just wasn't awake enough to really know what was going on."

"You're nearly as exhausted as she is," J'onn said. "I will have one of the agents drive you home so you can get some rest."

Eliza didn't want to leave, but she also knew she couldn't stay awake much longer. She nodded as she stood up. "If she wakes again for anything longer than a couple of minutes …"

"I will send someone for you," he said.

"Thanks," she said, and she bent over the bed and gave Alex a kiss on the forehead. She approached J'onn. "That thing, does it still have her form?"

"Yes," he said. "It hasn't reverted back to its own form since making the change."

Eliza looked back at Alex and then thanked J'onn once more before leaving.

…

Maggie sat at her desk reviewing the files that J'onn had let her access concerning the five homicides, along with what little they knew about the alien which wasn't much.

Kara had let her know that Alex had woken up a couple of times, but neither for anything more than a minute or two. Alex had now been asleep for more than 13 hours straight without waking and it was worrying Kara (and Maggie) that perhaps she wouldn't wake again. Eliza had tried to assure Kara that Alex's body needed time to heal from the ordeal it had just gone through.

While Maggie understood that she couldn't help but think back to Alex attacking the alien with a vicious purpose. There had been nothing weak about Alex's body at that point.

The alien, according to its file, had been called Evo from its captor. There was no explanation for why it was identified that way. Its origin was listed as unknown as was pretty much everything else about it. There was a notation in the Kryptonian files that the Kryptonians had wanted to study his genetics, but its captor wouldn't allow it, warning them that the longer he was uncontained or around others the more dangerous he would be. One sample had been taken from it – and it was that sample that had helped the DEO know what it was hunting for once the made the connection between the murders.

But the alien and how it killed the others seemed to be the only connection. In reviewing all the files, Maggie wasn't seeing any common thread among them and Alex. Yet, Evo had said there was a reason for targeting Alex.

There had to be something she was missing, and she knew then that she would need to delve deeper into each of the victim's lives to see if there was a connection.

A part of her wondered why she was even bothering. Evo was safely detained at the DEO. Alex hadn't died. If this was a normal murder investigation it could be considered case closed. But this wasn't normal and if there was a chance that Alex wasn't safe Maggie had to do something.

Kara had asked her if she wanted to come back in and see Alex, but Maggie had told her no. Thankfully, Kara hadn't pressed the issue. It's not like she didn't want to see Alex and make sure she was doing ok, but too much had happened between them.

What would she even say to Alex – 'glad you aren't dead or hey, I'm still upset that you threw what we had away.' No, she had decided after their break up that the best thing for her would be to keep her distance and move on. Not that she had accomplished much in terms of that.

After all, she still loved Alex.

…

It was 21 hours before Alex was awake for more than a couple of minutes. She woke to a darkened medbay, vaguely recalling waking before.

"Alex?"

She looked over to see her very sleepy looking mom in the bed next to hers.

"Mom, you ok?"

Eliza smiled as she sat up and walked over to her, "yes, honey, I was just taking a nap, waiting for you to wake. How are feeling?"

"Tired."

"Well, try to stay awake, just for a bit ok?"

Alex nodded. "My throat is kind of sore. What happened?"

Eliza pushed some hair back from Alex's face. "An alien assaulted you, but we can talk about all of that later. I just need to know you are going to be ok."

"Can I get some water?"

Eliza moved and poured her a cup, while Alex adjusted the bed so she was sitting up more. This time, Alex was able to handle it on her own and she drank down the whole cup.

"Do you want more?"

"No."

Eliza began to check Alex's vitals and her daughter remained silent throughout, which was a little odd Eliza thought as Alex hated such things, especially when it was coming from her mother. Everything was checking out fine, although she needed to schedule some scans later. A nurse had come in on her regular checks and saw that Alex was awake and Eliza was administering to her, but she left to get the doctor who joined Eliza.

Once Eliza was done, she told Alex she'd be back and she walked out to talk with the doctor in private.

"She doesn't remember what happened," Eliza said. "We're going to need to do some brain scans later to make sure everything is normal, but for now, no one gives her details until I get to talk to her more fully about what occurred."

"Why don't you tell her now?"

Eliza shook her head no. "I want to make sure she can stay awake for longer stretches first. Plus given what happened before, I don't want her to go looking for it in its containment unit, not as long as it is in her form."

When she returned, Alex was still there in bed, which somewhat surprised Eliza. Patience as a patient was not one of Alex's strengths.

"Everything is checking out," Eliza said, approaching the bed again. "We're going to get some more tests scheduled later on. For now, I just want you to rest and take it easy. There is no reason to push yourself."

Even as she said it, she knew her daughter wouldn't abide by it.

"Ok," Alex replied.

…

Maggie walked out of the hi-rise apartment complex where she had just spoken to the husband of one of Evo's victims and she was wondering if she was wasting her time. She had spoken to only two of the victims' families but so far she couldn't see any connection.

This victim came from a wealthy family and married a man from yet another wealthy family so demographically there was no similarity to her and Alex or the other victims. Her husband, who didn't seem as upset over her death as Maggie thought he might be, hadn't been overly helpful. He said there was nothing going on in their lives beyond the norm.

She pressed him on anything that might have been different for her in the time leading up to her death. He at first said there was nothing and then he mentioned almost in passing as if didn't matter that she had been a little emotional as of late. When she asked what for he had to think about it and she really wanted to ask him if he even knew his wife. Finally, he said that it had been the year anniversary of his mother-in-law's death and his wife was still upset and feeling guilty over the whole affair because she had put her mother in a home (against her wishes) and she had died within two months of being there.

The husband clearly felt it was much ado about nothing and Maggie could see nothing in that story that connected to Alex or the other victim she had already met with a family member about. In that case, it was a young woman who was only 20. Maggie had met with her older sister who said that when she found out her sister was in a coma she thought it was because she must have swallowed a bunch of pills. She had always been a quiet and sad, her sister said so she assumed it was a suicide attempt.

Maggie asked if there was anything specific going on in the sister's life that had happened recently and she said nothing that she knew of. To be honest, she said that she wasn't really that close with her sister (well, her half sister she then said), and so she didn't know what her life was like.

As she got into her car, Maggie thought about if she should even bother with the next interview she had scheduled for tomorrow. That one was with the roommate of the victim that died just before Alex.

She had spoken with Kara earlier today as Kara had called her to ask how it was going. Since she had only spoken to one victims' family at that point, she didn't have much to say.

Then Maggie asked her how Alex was doing since Kara hadn't offered up the information on her own. She didn't know if Kara hadn't said because she didn't want to say or she didn't think Maggie wanted to know but either way she sensed a hesitation on her part.

"She's been sort of quiet," Kara said.

"She did have a near death experience."

"I know, it's just …"

"Just what? Is something wrong with her?" Maggie asked. Kara had texted her when Alex had first woken up – well when she had woken for more than a minute at a time and had told her how Alex didn't remember what happened to her.

Then she had heard from Kara again when she told her that Alex remained in the Medbay, needing to recover according to her mom and that they had told her what had happened to her. Maggie had asked her then how she reacted to that and Kara said Alex hadn't had much of a reaction at all.

That was a red flag to Maggie, and apparently others, but they had chalked it up to Alex having gone through a trauma.

"That's it, I don't know. She's just … different. She's not pushing to get back to active duty or acting like her normal self."

Maggie tried to reassure her that Alex probably needed some time to get back to being herself, but even as she said it she was bothered by what Kara had said. Alex didn't know how to not push herself so that was yet another red flag in Maggie's mind.

A part of her wished that she didn't care, that she could just walk away from this, walk away from Alex for good, but she knew she couldn't. She had to know that Alex would be go ok.

That is why she would go to the next interview.

…

Eliza sat in the chair watching Alex and Kara interact or rather Kara talking to Alex and Alex remaining mostly quiet, only politely responding when needed. They had brought Alex home today and even that was an odd occurrence. Alex hadn't bothered her about coming home, about leaving medbay, about anything and the only reason they were even here now was because Eliza had suggested that maybe Alex would be more comfortable recovering at home now that she no longer needed to be in medbay.

There was something off about Alex and Eliza wasn't sure if had to do with the alien attack itself or that she had died.

Since waking up, the only thing Alex seemed to have more than a passing reaction to was when they were telling her what happened and Kara mentioned that Maggie was there. It wasn't even that Alex said anything, but Eliza had been watching as a storm of emotion seemed to pass through Alex in that moment, but just as quickly as it was there, it was gone.

Alex hadn't asked a single question about the alien either. She hadn't really done anything since waking up and that bothered Eliza. She knew her daughter and the way Alex was acting now was nothing like how Eliza expected her to react to things.

"Kara," Eliza interrupted. "You should head back to work, you've missed a lot of time lately."

Kara was about to say something, but Eliza's look halted her and she gave Alex a hug before saying goodbye. Eliza noticed that Alex barely returned the hug and didn't even say goodbye. Eliza too got a hug before Kara was out the door.

"Can I get you anything?" Eliza asked Alex.

"No."

Eliza came over and took a seat on the couch. "I know this has probably been a little overwhelming for you," she said. "But I want you to know, you can talk to me about whatever you need to."

"Do you mind if I go take a nap?"

"Of course," Eliza said. "You should rest whenever you feel like it. You have been on your feet more today than any time since you woke up. I will be out here if you need anything."

Alex didn't really react beyond a small nod and she went to her bedroom and shut the door. Everything about it still seemed wrong to Eliza and she hoped that whatever this was that Alex would snap out of it soon.

…

Alex entered her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, closing her eyes and taking a couple of calming breaths. She knew her mom was worried about her, but it's not like she could tell her or anyone else about what she had experienced. When she first woke up and told her mom she didn't remember, she was telling the truth, but by the time she had been awake a few times, she knew exactly what had happened. She even knew about the decision to shut off the machines and let her die.

The actual dying she didn't recall.

And the moment she woke and went after Evo was more than a little hazy but she did remember the rage that filled her.

She had wanted to kill him with her bare hands. Kill him for what he did to her.

The only thing she could do now was keep him from doing it to her again. Because he wouldn't stop coming after her of that she was sure.


	3. Chapter 3

Maggie tried to concentrate on her computer as she typed up a report from a case she had just finished but she was having a rough go of it. All she could think of was Alex.

Again, she wished that she could just not care, but that wasn't going to happen.

She had met with Kara last night, surprised when the younger Danvers asked if she could come over. She half expected Supergirl to come flying into her apartment but instead Kara merely knocked on her door. After offering Kara a drink, which Kara declined, they took seats.

 _"Have you found anything in your investigation?" Kara asked._

 _Maggie shook her head no, "Nothing that is showing me any sort of connection. All the victims were completely different."_

 _The expression on Kara's face told her that she had been hoping for a different answer. Maggie had interviewed at least once person connected to each of the victims over the past week and a half and had found she was stumped as to what made these people and Alex stick out to Evo._

 _"There is nothing?" Kara asked, as if the answer would change._

 _"They are all different – different genders, different lifestyles, different socio-economic standings, different family situations," Maggie sighed. "I'm sorry."_

 _Kara shrugged. "It's ok. It was probably a long shot anyway."_

 _"You could have called if you just wanted the answer to that question," Maggie said. "Why are you here?" She didn't want it to come out as hostile as it sounded, but she didn't know why Alex's sister would be here._

 _"It still looks like her."_

 _"You've gone to see Evo?"_

 _"No, J'onn won't let anyone in there," Kara said. "It's the one thing Alex has said about Evo – don't let anyone near it."_

 _"Does that mean she remembers what happened?"_

 _"She says she doesn't."_

 _"You don't believe her?"_

 _"I don't know, that's just it, I don't know what's going on with her. She hasn't come back to the DEO since she left. She hasn't even left the apartment as far as I can tell," Kara said, getting up and beginning to pace. "She says that she isn't ready to go back, that her body is still recovering, but Eliza says that physically she could, and you know Alex, she wouldn't let something not being physically cleared for duty stop her. And that isn't the only thing, Alex, she's … different."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"It's like she is on auto pilot. If you ask her a question, she answers, but she doesn't offer anything up for the most part. It's like she's a robot or something, just reacting instead of participating in life. Eliza is worried and so am I. Eliza had to go back to Midvale but before she did, she had been staying with Alex and she said Alex barely sleeps and when she does, it's not peaceful, but Alex won't talk about whatever it is."_

 _Kara had stopped pacing and was looking at Maggie as if she would have an answer to all of this, but she didn't. It made Maggie worry too though. Kara was right, Alex would have been itching to get back to work. She remembered that after Alex had been trapped in that water tank that she had wanted Alex to take more time off than she had but Alex had insisted on going back quickly._

 _"We don't know what he did to her," Maggie started to say, but then paused. "But Evo knows."_

 _"Yes, but it's not like we can go in there and ask."_

 _"Maybe someone should."_

 _"But Alex said that no one should go in there and I don't think J'onn is going to lift that edict."_

 _"I'll go talk to him."_

 _"I was sort of hoping you would go talk to Alex."_

 _Maggie realized that was the real reason Kara had come here._

 _"I don't think that's a good idea."_

 _"Are you angry with her because of how things ended?"_

 _"No," Maggie replied. "That's not it. She and I haven't really spoken, you know this. I mean I didn't even know she was dying until it was almost done, and I'm not saying that because I blame you or anyone else for not telling me. It's just the reality of the situation, of who I am to her, which is her ex. If she isn't going to open up to you Kara, she certainly isn't going to open up to me. If she wanted to, then she would be the one approaching me, not you."_

 _She could tell Kara was disappointed – whether it was with her or the answer she had given, she didn't know._

 _"I just want my sister back."_

Maggie had felt bad ever since Kara had left her place, but Maggie didn't see anyway to help with this situation. The last thing she had said to Kara was that Alex may need more time but there was no way she would stay away from the DEO for much longer. It was like Kara said, she would be itching to go back at some point.

Then Kara had sent her a text this morning. Alex had called J'onn and put in an official request for an extended leave of absence.

It was a shock to say the least, but it made Maggie wonder if Alex didn't want to go back because Evo was there. Was Alex afraid?

…

Alex sat cross-legged on her floor, her eyes closed, attempting and mostly failing at meditation. As much as she wanted she couldn't clear her mind, but she needed to so she kept at it.

Meditation had never been her thing. She would rather spend hours in the gym rather than attempt what she was doing now. Hell, she hadn't even known how to do it so she had spent some time reading up on various processes. She didn't even know if it would help but she was uncharted territory with this.

Opening her eyes with a huff of breath, she pulled herself up off the floor. Pacing back and forth, she felt her anxiety rachet up, something she couldn't let happen.

"Hello Alexandra," the voice suddenly popped into her head and she knew it was too late.

"Get out," she said through clinched teeth. Even though she knew there was no way he would go until she calmed down and forced him out.

"Now, now Alexandra, there is no reason for hostilities," Evo said in her mind. "Not after we spent all that time together in that beautiful mind of yours."

That is what the others didn't know, that while she had been unconscious, she had been trapped in her own mind, but she had no control over what she was seeing and feeling. No Evo was controlling all of it.

That is why she had gone after him as soon as she had woken.

Alex resumed her position on the floor, closing her eyes and again trying to clear her mind.

"Do you really think that will work?" Evo said after a minute.

She ignored him, knowing he wanted her to engage with him.

"Come on Alexandra, that's no way to be. I thought we had become close."

"If we were close, you would know I don't really like being called Alexandra," she replied even though she knew it was a mistake. After she had finally been able to stay awake in the DEO, she had felt out of sorts, but nothing like this had happened immediately. Then she was alone in the medbay, lying in bed when he contacted her like this for the first time.

"I know you don't, but Alexandra is much more refined than Alex so I think I will stick with it," Evo said. "You know I thought you might have come to visit me by now."

"That's not going to happen."

"If you don't, we will just have to keep talking like this."

Alex began to ignore him again. Usually, this is how it happened. He would pop into her mind for a bit, she would ignore him and after a while he would leave. She needed to figure out a way to keep him out of her mind completely but she had no idea where to even begin.

Evo had told her that J'onn couldn't detect their communication and it would appear he was telling the truth.

Her best bet she was thinking was to get her hands on one of the DEO's neural inhibitors but that would mean going there. She could ask Kara to bring her one, but her sister would surely want to know why. And she didn't have the equipment here to work on one anyway as she was sure it would need reconfiguring for the purposes of blocking Evo's intrusions into her mind.

For now, she was just going to have to continue with what she was doing which meant staying as calm as possible. He was preying on her emotions, her feelings so she needed to keep everything at bay as much as possible.

The problem was, she saw no way out of this short of killing him.


	4. Chapter 4

Maggie had to wait to speak with J'onn as he was dealing with other matters. Once he was free, they sat down in an office where Maggie wasted no time getting to the point.

"I get this may be none of my business, but something is wrong with Alex, surely you see this," she said. "She wouldn't just take a leave of absence. Hell, I'm surprised she knows what one is. That alien, Evo, he did something to her or at least he is the reason she must be staying away."

"I have considered that possibility," J'onn said. "I'm just as concerned as you are about her, but there is very little I can do at this moment. She is justified in taking time off after what happened to her. Maybe that is all she needs – a little time."

Maggie shook her head, "No, it's more than that."

"Have you spoken with her?"

"No," Maggie sighed. "But Kara has and Kara is worried about her and from what she said, I think there is reason for the concern. You heard what that thing said, it chose Alex. Why? Why her? When she woke, she shouldn't have been able to move yet there she was trying to beat Evo down, how was that possible? And then it says it wants to experience her again, what does that mean? These are questions that it knows the answer to, have you even tried to ask?"

"Evo is impervious to my powers and has essentially remained silent since Alex woke."

"Well, if you aren't going to ask him, let me go in there and have words with him or it or whatever that thing is."

J'onn shook his head no. "That is out of the question."

"Why?"

"Because he is dangerous, dangerous in ways that we perhaps don't understand yet. Alex herself ordered that our highest isolation protocols be put in place to keep him from having contact with anyone. I happened to agree with it. Even the Kryptonians were keeping him isolated and it appears for good reason. One touch, that is all it took for him to take Alex down."

"He's going to be in a cell, how is he going to touch me?" Maggie said.

"I won't risk it."

"I accept whatever risk is involved," Maggie said. "Look, for whatever reason he was willing to speak to me before. Maybe he would again. Don't you want answers?"

"Of course, I do, but I have to keep the safety of others in mind."

Maggie was getting frustrated with this. It's not as if she didn't understand there was danger but knowing these answers could help not just Alex but maybe prevent any others from being hurt in the future. Evo chose his victims but what criteria was he using to pick them?

"Please J'onn, you know there has to be something else going on with this. Alex wouldn't … she just wouldn't," Maggie said. "And I know she and I aren't together any longer, but I want to help her even if it is from afar."

J'onn considered her plea for a moment. "Ok, but I will be there with you."

"That's fine, whatever you need to do."

It took a while, but Maggie was finally walking with J'onn down to see Evo. She wasn't sure what to expect although she knew that it still looked like Alex.

"So, if Alex said to stay away from him, how have you been feeding him?" Maggie asked.

"I have handled it," J'onn said. "He doesn't seem to require much in terms of sustenance. In fact, he hadn't eaten anything while in captivity until a couple of days after Alex left. He asked for a cheeseburger at that point, so I brought one to him hoping it might entice him to open up and talk. He merely thanked me for it in her voice and then he began to eat. It was unnerving to see because it was just like if it was Alex eating it. It's like he just doesn't look like her, it's like he has taken on her mannerisms the longer he has her form. It is subtle but it's there."

"How is that possible? Alex hasn't even been here, and I gathered their contact had been minimal before he did this to her."

"I do not know and that is what worries me the most about even bringing you anywhere close to him. We do not know what he is capable of."

"Well we know he had to touch Alex so believe me, I won't be getting near his cell."

They finally arrived and J'onn asked her if she was sure she wanted to do this. She nodded and he opened the door for her to enter. Despite being warned, Maggie was still taken aback by Evo as Alex because as he stood and walked toward the front of the cell, Maggie could have sworn it was Alex. The stride was just like Alex's and even the smile had changed into something warmer, more expressive- again more like Alex.

"Hi Maggie," Evo said. "It is great to see you again."

Maggie glanced at J'onn more to reassure herself that she wasn't alone more than anything else.

"I have some questions," she said.

"Oooh how exciting," Evo responded. "And what do I get if I answer these questions?"

"Well you aren't getting out of here if that is what you are hoping for."

Evo laughed. "I wouldn't have thought to ask for my freedom. Besides I'm content to remain here for the time being."

Maggie immediately wondered why Evo was "content" for now.

"Will you answer my questions?"

"Perhaps if you answer mine."

"Fair enough," Maggie said crossing her arms. "What about Alex made you target her?"

"She was … is vulnerable," Evo responded.

Vulnerable was not how Maggie would describe Alex.

"That doesn't answer the question," Maggie pressed.

"You specifically make her vulnerable." Evo said. "Everyone I choose, there has to be an opening and you humans broadcast them seemingly every moment of every day. I could have chosen any of the humans here but Alexandra, well, she was special."

"How so?" She was getting tired of him dancing around the answer.

"Did my file tell you about my last victim before I was captured and turned over to the Kryptonians?"

"No," J'onn answered.

"Hmm, I don't know if that surprises me or not," Evo said. "Anyway, my last victim was my own mother. And the bounty hunter who brought me in, was my sibling. He was a coward, too afraid to kill me for killing our mother, so he turned me over to be banished to the Phantom Zone instead. The other criminals I was with, they may have isolated me, but I had no desire to be around them anyway. For sure, I could have chosen some as my victims, but it would have been a paltry meal."

Meal. That word stuck out in Maggie's mind. The first time she was here Evo had made a reference to a meal.

"You feed off of them somehow." It wasn't a question so much as an observation. No wonder he hadn't been eating, at least not eating as they knew it.

"Now a question for you," Evo said.

Before he could say anything, Maggie's phone rang, startling her. She was about to shut off the ringer and ignore the call and then she saw who was calling her. It was Alex.

Keeping her eyes on Evo, she answered it. "Hello?"

"Get out of there," Alex said.

"What?"

"Get out of there," Alex repeated. "Stay away from it."

"Wait. How did you …?"

"Damn it, Maggie, just get out now," Alex said, her voice full of anger.

"Tell Alexandra I said hi," Evo said, even as Maggie started to back up. "And I can't wait to see her again."

Maggie grabbed J'onn and left the room. "Alex," Maggie said. "How did you know I was in there with him?"

But her only response was the phone hanging up.

Maggie looked at J'onn. "She knew. She knew I was in there talking with it," Maggie said. "How could she know that?"

"I don't know," J'onn said. "But we better find out."


	5. Chapter 5

Alex was pacing, knowing that calming down wasn't really an option right now as she hung up the phone on Maggie.

"Now, now Alexandra, you aren't being any fun," Evo said in her mind. "I was only having a chat with the pretty detective."

"Stay away from her," Alex said.

"She came to me," Evo pointed out. "I mean it's not like I get any guests here. You won't come visit me after all."

"Maggie is off limits. I won't let you hurt her."

"I love how you say that like you have some control over me," Evo said. "It doesn't work that way. The moment we touched, you became mine and mine you will be until you die."

Alex sat down on the couch, trying to figure out what to do next. She knew Maggie wasn't likely to just drop this, especially not when she just hung up on her.

"What was she doing in there?" Alex asked finally.

"She's trying to figure out why you, why I find you special," Evo said. "She hasn't gotten the answer yet, at least not a full answer. And you did interrupt me asking her a question. She did promise a little quid pro quo. I guess I will have to wait until she returns."

"That's not going to happen."

"You don't think so? She does seem awfully determined. Surely you find that a little touching. I mean you dump her and yet she still cares," Evo said. "How does that make you feel Alexandra?"

She closed her eyes, not wanting to even think about feeling anything.

"There you go trying to block me out again," Evo said. "It's getting tiresome. Soon, I will be able to come and go as a I please, just like when you slept. Although I might not have to keep reaching out to you if you would just come visit me. Come on Alexandra, what will it hurt for you to come see me?"

She didn't respond. She needed this to end.

It took a while and Evo kept trying to get a response from her, but finally she felt him recede from her mind. She wasn't sure how much longer she could handle this.

When there was a knocking on the door, she realized she had been sitting there for a quite some time – long enough for someone to get to her place from the DEO. A part of her hoped it was J'onn but as she looked through the peephole, she knew she should have left the moment she had hung up the phone.

Opening the door, Maggie didn't wait for her to say anything as she merely walked right in.

"What did he do to you?" Maggie asked as soon as the door closed. "And how do we stop it?"

….

"You shouldn't be here," Alex said, moving by Maggie into the living room. She felt Evo make contact almost immediately upon Maggie entering her place. There was no way to keep him out, not while Maggie was there.

"See, I told you she was determined," Evo said.

"I don't care if I should be here or not," Maggie said following her even as Alex took a seat. "How did you know I was in there speaking with him? How did you know to call me?"

"Tell her," Evo said. "Tell her that you and I are connected in a way you and her never could be."

Alex closed her eyes a moment, wishing he would just leave her alone – at least while Maggie was there. She opened her eyes and looked up at Maggie who stood there observing her. She could see the concern in her eyes and knew there was no way Maggie would leave without answers, but Alex didn't want her involved – couldn't have her involved.

Still, she didn't say anything and Maggie came over and sat beside her – close but not to the point where they were touching.

"Talk to me."

It was still a few moments before Alex willed herself to stand up and put some distance between her and Maggie. "You need to leave."

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me," Maggie said as she stood up and tried to approach Alex who backed up – something that didn't go unnoticed.

"Just go, please," Alex said.

"Why don't you tell her what you really want to tell her?" Evo asked. "Tell her how you made a mistake. Tell her you still love her."

Alex closed her eyes again even though she knew it wouldn't help anything. She was startled out of it by the touch of Maggie's hand on her arm.

"He's still doing something to you, isn't he?"

"No," Alex said backing away. "I just need some time to recover."

"Then how did you know I was in there speaking with him?"

"Come on Alexandra," Evo said. "Don't hold back with her. Let your emotions flow."

"No!" Alex said, before realizing not only were emotions getting out of control, but she had said it out loud and now Maggie was looking at her with even greater concern. "You need to leave, now."

"I told you I'm not …"

"Get out!" Alex yelled, although she wasn't sure if she was yelling at Evo or Maggie at this point. Either way it clearly startled Maggie. Again, she tried to calm down. "Please, I need you to go."

"Ok," Maggie said. Alex could tell she didn't want to leave but she at least understood that Alex needed her to leave. She began walking toward the door.

"Are you just going to let her walk out of your life again Alexandra? Are you going to lose her again?" Evo said. "If I were you I wouldn't let her go. Remember how much it hurt the last time. Remember how it felt like you were going to die."

As Evo continued to speak she felt her head ache more and more and her heart beat was steadily increasing. She shut her eyes again to try and stave it all off but even as she did she felt dizzy. Stumbling a little over to the couch she intended only to sit down but collapsed unconscious as she reached it.

…

Maggie sat outside the medbay with Kara – neither had spoken beyond exchanging a few words. Each was waiting on the doctor to come out and tell them how Alex was. They were both hoping it wasn't like before – that she hadn't lapsed into a coma.

But they were both thinking it.

Maggie had opened Alex's door, intending on leaving, when she heard Alex collapse. Rushing over, she found Alex completely unresponsive and so she called Kara knowing she could get there quicker than any ambulance. Alex had yet to wake.

Maggie had already requested to go back and speak with Evo but had been denied by J'onn. He wanted to speak with Alex before anyone went near him.

She had told him and Kara about Alex's behavior leading up to her passing out, and while they all agreed something was happening to her but none of them knew what it could be beyond Evo. J'onn had used his powers on Alex to try and reach her mind for anything that might be helpful but found he couldn't. Like Evo, Alex's mind was now unreachable. He ordered the doctors to do neurological scans on her – looking for anything no matter how small that would be out of the ordinary.

J'onn told them that if Evo was somehow communicating with Alex, he had no idea how he was doing it. He was getting nothing from Evo and now he was getting nothing from Alex. He was unable to access her mind, which he should have been able to do even while she was unconscious.

Maggie believed Evo had to be communicating with her somehow otherwise how had Alex known she was talking to him.

And if there was some sort of communication going on, why wouldn't Alex tell them about it?

Kara looked to the medbay door suddenly.

"What is it?"

"She's awake," Kara said, clearly listening to whatever was happening on the other side of that door. "She's … she's trying to leave."

"What?"

"She's arguing with the doctor about being released."

"That's ridiculous," Maggie said standing up. "She isn't going anywhere."

Yet moments later, the medbay door opened and Alex came walking out.

She looked like she was about to walk right past them.

"Whoa," Maggie said, stepping in her path. "Where do you think you are going?"

Alex wouldn't make eye contact with her, instead looking at Kara who had come up to stand beside Maggie.

"Out of the way."

"That's not going to happen," Maggie said.

Kara folded her arms in front of her to indicate she was with Maggie on this one.

"I need to get to my lab," Alex said.

"What for?" Maggie asked even though Alex had yet to make eye contact with her.

Don't go to your lab, come and see me, Evo said in her mind. Bring Maggie and come see me.

"You need to leave," Alex said to Maggie, finally looking at her. "Now."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell us what is going on here," Maggie said. "What is he doing to you? And don't say nothing. We know something is happening. Let us help you."

See, she still cares, Evo said. Maybe she still wants to be with you.

Alex felt her headache come back full force and she stumbled slightly. She felt Kara grab her to steady her.

"Let's get you back in there," Kara said, softly.

"No," Alex said trying to shake her off but Kara held firm.

So sweet. Everyone is so concerned about Alexandra. Where was that concern when they were turning off the machines to kill you? Do you think they were maybe a little happy to finally have you out of their lives?

Did they even really try to save you? No, you did that all on your own Alexandra. You fought to come back to me. You belong with me.

Again, she felt like her brain was being stuck with a hot poker. Whatever her connection with Evo was it was getting worse.

"I need to get to the lab," she said even though at that moment she didn't know if she could take more than a step or two. "Neural inhibitor." She managed to get that last part out before again collapsing.

Kara picked her sister up and carried her back into the medbay with Maggie on her heels.

"Neural inhibitor, what is that?" Maggie asked.

"I think she is talking about this devise she used once against an alien who could control you with some sort of mind power," Kara replied. "J'onn would know more."

"Alright, you stay here with her and make sure she doesn't try to leave again, I'll go talk to J'onn."

Maggie made to leave but Kara called out for her to wait.

"Thank you," Kara said. "Thank you for still caring about her."

"I'll never stop caring about her," Maggie said, glancing at Alex's sleeping form once more before leaving.


	6. Chapter 6

Maggie stood in Alex's lab with J'onn who had one of the neural inhibitors in his hands. Maggie couldn't help but think of the times she would come here and practically have to drag Alex away from whatever her current project was.

"I don't see how this will do us any good," J'onn said. "It would have to be calibrated and right now we aren't detecting anything from Evo that would give us an idea of what to block."

"It was Alex's idea so she must have some use for this."

"Let's hope that when she wakes up she will be willing to share."

"I don't think we should wait," Maggie said. "Let me speak to Evo again. I know he has information and he at least seemed somewhat interested in speaking with me the last time."

"Alex didn't think that was a good idea."

"Which is why you need to let me do it. Something is happening here, and we don't have the first clue as to what that is, and Alex isn't being forthcoming. She clearly knows something but the fact she hasn't spoken up is more reason to let me do this," Maggie said. "I get that you trust her and her judgment more than anyone else, but you have to consider that whatever happened to her compromised her in some way. Why else would she not tell you or Kara immediately that something is going on?"

She watched as J'onn considered what she had to say. She knew J'onn trusted Alex more than anyone else, but he was also smart and had to see that something was wrong with her. The evidence was right there in front of him, she just needed to him to see that it was what he should base his decision on – not on his feelings for Alex.

There were a lot of questions Maggie had about all of this, but Alex's hostility toward her was one she couldn't reconcile. Despite what had happened between them, there was no reason for Alex to be acting like she was toward her.

"Evo wasn't exactly forthcoming the last time, what makes you think it would be any different this time?" J'onn asked.

"I don't know, but he was at least willing to speak with me last time when he wasn't speaking with anyone else," Maggie said. "Please, J'onn let me do this."

"Ok, but like before, I won't let you be in there alone."

"Thank you."

…

Evo – still in Alex's form – was sitting on the floor of his cell, a smile on his face as Maggie and J'onn came into the room. But Maggie paused almost immediately because despite the smile, it was still a moment before Evo actually looked up to see them. So why was he smiling?

"Maggie!" Evo said, quickly getting to his feet. "How good it is to see you once more."

Maggie came fully into the room, stopping in front of the cell, her arms crossed.

"What are you doing to her?" she asked.

"Oh no, you forgot our deal," Evo said. "It's my turn to ask you a question."

"Ask."

"Do you still love her?"

Maggie uncrossed her arm wondering if she should answer truthfully or not.

"Yes," she said finally. "I never stopped."

The smile on Evo's face turned into a more serious expression at these words. "You realize there is no scenario in which you get her back, don't you?"

"This isn't about that."

"Oh really, then what is it that you are hoping to accomplish?"

"I just want to make sure she is ok, that she is safe."

Evo moves closer to the barrier, "that too is out of your hands detective."

Maggie also stepped closer to the barrier, staring down this mock Alex. "I won't let you hurt her."

"She doesn't belong to you any longer detective, she belongs to me. I know her in ways you never could. I know what she fears, her hopes, her desire," Evo said. "There is nothing she can hide from me. Everything she has ever experienced I have experienced, even your touch detective. Everything she has yet to experience, I will experience including her death."

"You tried killing her once already, that didn't work out for you so well did it?"

Evo again smiled at her. "The difference this time is that Alexandra will be begging for death. She will want it and she will achieve it because we both know she doesn't give up and believe me she will want death's embrace. And once she does, she and I will become one."

The confidence with which Evo spoke shook Maggie, causing her to take a step back.

"I won't let you hurt her," Maggie responded, trying to reassert some control but she suddenly got the feeling that Evo was the one in control and everything that was happening was how he wanted it.

"There are only three ways this stops detective," he said. "One is Alexandra's death. One is if you volunteer to take her place, which Alexandra will never allow to happen."

"What is the third?"

"Another thing that Alexandra will not allow," Evo said. "Don't believe me, go ask her. She is awake once more."

…

Maggie marched into the medbay, seeing Alex sitting up in the bed looking exhausted so she almost decided not to confront her, but she felt anger – anger at Evo and yes anger at Alex.

"You ready to tell us what the hell is going on here?" Maggie said.

"I thought I told you to leave," Alex said immediately getting defensive.

"I'm not going anywhere," Maggie said, crossing her arms. "But I'm going to ask everyone else to leave this room right now. You and I are going to talk."

Everyone else just stood there for a moment and finally Alex spoke, "Clear the room please."

After everyone left they continued to stare each other down but Alex was the first to blink. "Evo told you what you wanted," Alex said.

"No, he spoke in cryptic little sentences so now I want to hear from you what it happening," Maggie said. "Let's start with the basics of how you know what he and I were talking about."

"I don't know," Alex said. "Not exactly at least. All I know is that he can somehow access my mind."

"I'm guessing that you have known about it since the beginning."

Alex nodded.

"Damn it, why wouldn't have said something?"

"It wouldn't have made a difference," Alex sighed.

Maggie could see the defeated expression on Alex's face and wanted so much to go comfort her, but she didn't make a move.

"Why wouldn't it have made a difference?"

"Because whatever he did, it won't stop," Alex said.

Maggie shook her head, "that's not what he said. He said there were …"

"I know what he said," Alex interrupted. "But those aren't options."

"Your death isn't," Maggie said. "But …"

"No!" Alex said.

"I'm not saying I should volunteer to take your place whatever that means," Maggie said. "But he said there was a third option, so what is it?"

"It's not an option."

"Well, why don't you tell me what it is so I can determine that for myself."

"No," Alex said. "Now if that is all, you can leave now."

"I'm not leaving," Maggie said.

"You have to," Alex said.

"Why?" Maggie said, and this time she couldn't help but come closer. She walked next to the bed and reached for Alex's hand but Alex moved it.

"I just can't have you here," Alex said. "I can't."

Maggie backed up a step and again crossed her arms.

"Ok, I will leave but only if you answer one more question. He said that I made you vulnerable, what did he mean by that?"

Alex remained silent for long enough that Maggie didn't think she was going to answer. "When it first started, I could keep him out … out of my mind if I could stay calm, if I could keep any emotion at bay. That is what attracts him. His victims, they were all emotional for one reason or another. It doesn't matter if the emotions are happy or sad or even anger. They just have to be strong and in some ways uncontrollable. The person feels incomplete I guess you could say or maybe it's just unfulfilled because they can't get a handle on what they are feeling. Evo can sense it, sense that the person feels this way whether they want to or not, and that is how he gets in. You make me vulnerable to him because of how I feel about you."

Maggie wanted to ask how did she feel about her – did she still love her or did she resent Maggie because Maggie couldn't give her what she wanted?

"If my presence is making it worse for you then I'll stay away," Maggie said. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"You didn't," Alex said quickly. "This isn't your fault in any way. I just can't have you around me or him."

"I'll go then," Maggie said. "I hope you find a way out of this."

Maggie left the room even though she wanted so much to stay but knew she couldn't. Kara looked at her expectedly.

"Take care of her," Maggie said.

"You're leaving?"

Maggie glances back at the room. "I don't have a choice," Maggie said. "Evo is in her head somehow, communicating with her and apparently my presence is making it worse for her. I'll let her explain. Just … just let me know how she is doing ok?"

Kara gave her a hug, "of course."


End file.
